Post - Modernism and Mass Culture

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P M rnism and M C ost ode ass ulture
Post Modernism/20/1/98/P.Covington/Media Disc

This is a relatively new development and there are few sources that present clear and readable accounts of it. It is a reaction to the belief of postmodernists that Marx concentrated excessively on production, at the cost of consumption.
Introduction
This concept, despite its variety of meanings and definitions, is used to refer to many aspects of social life from musical forms and styles, literature and fine art through to philosophy, history and especially the mass media. Post modernism is a slippery term that is used by writers to refer to several different things. Featherstone (1991) points out the
Trowler, 1996 identifies two key themes that can be associated with postmodernism.
1. Is that of a Society that has come after modern societies, which is information rich, global

and composed of many, sub-groups and cultures.
2. The second theme sees postmodernism as a 'way of knowing the world, one which

questions the nature of 'truth', 'reason' and even 'reality'. This is as I have already said, a relativist position, which denies that there are absolutes in any area of human knowledge. Following the phenomenological tradition in sociology, knowledge is socially constructed and reflects the social positions of the informer and informed.

Post - Modernism and Mass Culture

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Post - Modernism and Mass Culture

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It is Relevant to Us Because….
If society is information rich, the majority of information comes from the media.
The media is a key factor in the spread of 'global ideas' and information. Critics point to the USA as the main producer, which has in turn led to a form of cultural imperialism in the late 20th C. For example, Ritzer talks of the McDonaldization of society.
A response to the bewildering array of choice and diversity is to 'pick and mix' to suit sub-group and sub-cultural identities. So young, Japanese people may drive,
1950's American Cars, dance in the part to early rock and roll